DONBAS: Luhansk: Orthodox cathedral, more Protestant churches raided
Officials of the unrecognised Luhansk People's Republic raided at least two Protestant Sunday worship meetings on 24 March. Courts chose not to punish two pastors. On 4 April, anti-"extremism" police raided the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Holy Trinity Cathedral in Luhansk, diocesan offices and the homes of two priests. A police officer refused to say if further measures against the priests are planned.
Officers of the police anti-"extremism" department of the unrecognised Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine searched Holy Trinity Cathedral and diocesan offices of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the city of Luhansk on 4 April. Officers also searched the homes of the diocesan secretary and another priest. Interrogations have continued since then.
An official of the police anti-"extremism" department, who gave his name only as Sergei, insisted to Forum 18 that the two priests are "at liberty" and are free to continue to conduct religious activity. He refused to say if any further measures will be taken against them.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine – the successor of the Kyiv Patriarchate – chose not to seek registration for its Luhansk cathedral and another parish in rebel-held territory. Despite the raid and interrogations, it appears still to be allowed to hold services at its cathedral.
Andrei Litsoev, head of the Religious Organisations and Spirituality Department of the Culture, Sport and Youth Ministry in Luhansk, blamed the Orthodox Church of Ukraine itself for its problems. "They're guilty," he insisted to Forum 18. "It is not registered, so it doesn't exist".
The Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate appears to function unimpeded in rebel-held territory.
The 4 April searches, confiscations and interrogations connected with Luhansk's Orthodox cathedral came just over a week after two more Protestant churches in the rebel-held area were on 24 March raided as they were meeting for Sunday worship (see full article).
Felix Corley
